Folding stand



E. RODS FOLDING STAND May 16, 1933.

Filed Jan. 14, 1933 Patented May 16, 1933 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD R005, 01 RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS FOLDING STAND Application filed January 14, 1933. Serial No. 651,760.

This invention relates to folding stands, or readily accessible, easily moved and set up racks, and the principal object of the inven in thedesired position when required, and tion is the provision of a new and improved which, when not in use, may be folded or colstand or rack which may be folded, and when lapsed to occupy a minimum amount of stor- 5 in that position will occupy the minimum age space. It is alsodesirable that these sup- 50 ount of a e, J. ports be proyided with means whereby they A further object of the invention is the may be conveniently moved when in their ex- Z provision of a new and improved folding tended, or operative, position; stand or service table having novel means The present invention seeks to provide a for transporting the same from place to support or stand of general utility and that 55 l may be easily moved from place to place Another object of the invention is the prowhlle in either its folded or its extended povision of a new and improved stand or rack sition, and also one that may be easily moved that is provided with movable shelves or while in use.

supporting members and having novel means Referring now to the drawing, the. referfor collapsing the supporting legs when cern e character 10 designates generally a tain of said shelves areanoved to inoperative stand, or rack, which comprises two pairs iti a of supporting legs or standards .11 and 12".

, Still further objects of the invention are that are ng d g ther at their upper ends the provision of a new and improved stand, H 13. rack, or service table that is inexpensive to These pairs of legs are connected together manufacture, attractive in appearance, which by suitable bars.- As shown on the drawing, may be easily and conveniently moved from the pa r of legs 11 are connected together by place t l strong d d bl i bars 13 and the pair of legs 12 are connected 25 struction, and which, when collapsed, will ogether by the bar 14. The upper ends of gccupy th i i amount f Space, each pair of legs are preferably, though not Other and further objects and advantages n c ssarily, beveled, as shown at 19 and 21, of the invention will appear from the foll w- 1X1 gs- 2 and 3 0f the drawing. A suitable ing description, taken in connection with the Cross b r 22 15 attached to the upper end of accompanying drawing, in which... one pair of the legs. As shown, the bar 22 1 is a perspective iew of the 18 attached by suitable screws, 01' the like, t d; to the beveled surface 19 of the pair of legs Fig. 2 is a vertical section along the lines and i d p d to be engaged by the bev- 22 of Fig. 1 showing the parts in opera eled surface 21 of the upper ends of the tive position; 7 other pairof legs when the device is in opera- Fig. 3 is a similar View but showing the tlve position for llmlting the spreading of parts in folded position; 531d P l Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2. The two pairs of legs which constitute the 40 It is not unusual in entertainments in prisupport are adapted to support one or more vate dwellings, as well as in public halls, tablets or shelves. In the form of constructheaters, churches, lodges, and the like, to tion shown, which is by way of example require the use of additional tables, stands'or only, two tablets 15 and 16 are employed. other temporary supports'which-under nor- The tablet 16 is supported atone end by a 45 mal circumstances are not required. Its-is rod 17 to which the tablet is pivotally condesirable, therefore, that these supports be nected in any suitable manner. In the form n disclosed, the rod 17 extends through the tablet 16 and is anchored to the legs 11 at its ends. The opposite end of the tablet 16 is adapted to rest on a rod 18 extending between the legs 12, 12 (see Fig. 2) for supporting the free end of the tablet.

Suitable means are provided for holding the tablet in operative position. Any suitable means may be employed. As shown, a spring clip 19 is rigidly connected to one of the legs 12 and has its free end bent as at 20 for engaging the top surface of the tablet for holding the same in lowered position. When it is desired to collapse the stand, the free end of the clip 19 is forced outwardly into a recess 30 in the leg 12 whereupon the tablet may be elevated for collapsing the stand.

Suitable means are provided for causing the collapse of the stand when the shelf 16 is elevated from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. This is accomplished by providing a link 22' which is pivoted at one end as at 23 to the tablet 16 and has its opposite end pivoted to one of the legs '12, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. It will be evident from an inspection of said figures that when the free endof the tablet 16 is moved upwardly about the pivot bolt 17, the link 22 will cause the legs ll and 12 to fold together. If desired, additional tablets may be employed. As shown, one additional tablet 15 is employed. It is pivoted to the legs 11, as by the pivot bar 25, and is adapted to be supported at its free end on a supporting bar 26. The tablet is held in lowered position by a spring clip 27 similar to the clip 19 employed for holding the tablet '16 in lowered position.-

When it is desired to collapse the stand, the clips 19 and 27 are forced inwardly and the free ends of the tablets 15 and 16 are moved upwardly until the legs 11 and 12 are brought into contact with each other. The stand may also be collapsed by moving the free end of the tablet l6 upward into contact with the tablet 15 and, after releasing the clip 27, continuing the movement of the free end of the tablet 16 upwardly, which will force the free end of the tablet 15 upwardly and the link 22 will cause the pairs of legs 11 and 12' to be moved into collapsed position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

When the stand is in operative position it maybe employed as a serving table, a magazine or book rack, or for a support for general utility purposes, and may be easily moved from place to place by means of the cross bar 22.

Furthermore, when made in miniature sizes it is admirably adapted to be associated with doll sets and sold as toys and the like.

'It is thought from the foregoing, taken in connection'with the accompanying drawing, that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that changes in-size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A folding stand comprising a pair of sets of supporting legs, means hinging the upper portions of the sets of legs together, a cross bar connecting the upper ends of certain of the legs together, means for limiting the separation of the free ends of the sets of legs, a tablet, means on one set of legs pivotally connecting said tablet thereto, means on the other set of legs for removably supporting the free end of said tablet, a second tablet, means pivotally connecting one end portion of the last named tablet to one set of legs and means on the other set of legs for removably supporting the opposite end portion of the last named tablet, each of the tablets being a unitary, rigid structure and having its ends extending outwardly beyond the planes of the legs when in operative position.

2. A folding stand comprising a pair of sets of supporting legs, means hinging the upper portions of the sets of legs together, a cross bar connecting the upper ends of certain of the legs together, means for limiting the separation of the free ends of the sets of legs, a tablet, means on one set of legs pivotally connecting said tablet thereto, means for causing the sets of legs to fold together upon movement of said table to inoperative position, a second tablet. means pivotally connecting one end portion of the last named tablet to one set of legs and means on the other set of legs for removably supporting the opposite end portion of the last named tablet, each of the tablets being a unitary, rigid structure and having its ends extendin outwardly beyond the planes of the legs when in operative position;

3. A folding stand comprising two sets of supporting legs, each set comprising two legs, a member connecting the legs of each pair together, means connecting the sets of legs together in hinged relation, a unitary, rigid tablet hinged to one of the members and adapted removably to engage the other.memher and be supported thereby in horizontal position and link means pivoted to said tablet and one of the legs to which the last named member is connected for causing said tablet to move to vertical position when said sets of legs are folded together, said tablet ex tending outwardly at each end beyond the plane of the adjacent set of legs.

4. A folding stand comprising a pair of sets of supporting legs, means hinging the upper portions of the sets of legs together, a cross bar connecting the upper ends of certain of the legs together, means for locking the sets of legs in extended relation, a tablet, means on one set of legs pivotally connecting saidtablet thereto, means on the other set of legs.- for removably supporting the free end of'said tablet, a second tablet, means pivotally connecting one end portion of the last named tablet to one set of legs and means on the other set of legs for removably supporting the opposite end portion of the last named tablet, each of the tablets being a unitary, rigid structure and having its ends extending outwardly beyond the planes of the legs when in operative position.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. EDWARD ROOS. 

